Scottish Executive

Antisocial Behaviour

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation to allow police forces to seize cars and motorbikes of "boy racers" causing chaos and disruption in communities.

Hugh Henry: The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, which received Royal Assent in July 2004, contains measures to enable the police to seize vehicles being used in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public. Regulations, required under section 127 of the act, will be made in the near future in order to bring these measures into effect.

Arts

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated in each of the last five years to assist disabled artists, broken down by organisation in receipt of funding.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: Ministers are committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate in cultural activities. The Scottish Arts Council currently provides annual support for five organisations which work primarily with arts and disability. (Table illustrates a breakdown of funding over the last five years). The European Year of Disabled People 2003 also saw the Executive’s cultural agencies and national institutions invest in arts and disability projects throughout the year.

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
Total


Theatre Workshop
135,092
215,749
139,745
149,560
529,430
1,169,572


Project Ability
 37,225
 46,950
168,692
186,838
 86,735
 529,440


Artlink Edinburgh
 36,500
 60,020
105,427
 35,680
106,447
 344,074


Artlink Central
 12,640
 10,864
 53,632
 17,133
 48,824
 143,096


Lung Ha’s
 24,000
 67,120
 33,000
 37,526
 123,600
 285,246



  Source: Arts and Disability 2000-2004, a review, 2004, Scottish Arts Council.

Central Heating Programme

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9672 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 17 June 2004, whether it still plans to make an announcement in respect of future spending plans and whether, when considering such plans, it has considered extending the free central heating installation programme to people under 60 on the higher rate component of disability living allowance.

Malcolm Chisholm: Ministers have not yet taken decisions on the shape or role of future fuel poverty programmes beyond 2006. We will consult the Scottish Executive Fuel Poverty Forum and other interested parties on any proposals before they are announced.

Central Heating Programme

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under 60 receive the disability living allowance and how much it would cost to include such people in the central heating installation programme.

Malcolm Chisholm: Disability Living Allowance is a matter for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). According to the DWP statistics, as of the end of May 2004 there were approximately 176,100 people under 60 in Scotland in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance. The current average grant cost for the central heating programme is approximately £3,300. Assuming that all of the people under 60 in receipt of Disability Living Allowance in Scotland needed central heating installed, this would cost approximately £581 million, excluding any fees.

  According to the Fuel Poverty in Scotland report, 7% of households who receive the care component of the Disability Living Allowance are in fuel poverty, as are 7% of households who receive the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance. These figures compare with the national average for fuel poverty of 13%.

Child Care

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure adequate provision of specialist residential child care accommodation.

Euan Robson: It is for local authorities to ensure that they have the correct range of services available to meet the needs of children in their care.

  In discharging their duties to children they are looking after, local authorities may place them in residential homes of various kinds. The provision and operation of residential homes is subject to the Residential Establishments – Childcare (Scotland) Regulations 1996.

  Accompanying guidance states that whether it is appropriate to place a child in a residential home, rather than other types of support or provision, depends on the individual circumstances of the child.

Child Care

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities run their own workplace nursery schemes.

Euan Robson: The provision of workplace nurseries is a matter for individual employers to consider. The Executive does not hold centrally any information on workplace nurseries operated by local authorities.

Child Care

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what enhancements and encouragements it offers local authorities to establish their own workplace nursery schemes.

Euan Robson: Local authorities receive Childcare Strategy funding from the Executive to enable them to meet local childcare needs across their area, including those of working parents. Employers may be entitled to tax relief on the provision of workplace nurseries or child care vouchers.

Climate Change

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it envisages for the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership in respect of global warming and what new research in this area will be initiated, following the announcement made by the Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 16 November 2004.

Ross Finnie: One of the key roles for the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership will be to provide a forum for stakeholders in Scotland to address climate change impact issues and raise awareness amongst relevant communities. Development of the partnership is at an early stage but it is envisaged that members of the partnership will determine, and take forward, any research requirements.

Climate Change

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is envisaged on administering links between regional, national and international organisations in the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership.

Ross Finnie: Development of a Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SCCIP) is at an early stage but it is envisaged that, once established, it will be led and funded by its members. Expenditure on matters such as administering links between regional, national and international organisations will therefore be a matter for SCCIP members.

Coast Protection

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated to address coastal erosion.

Lewis Macdonald: Out of this year’s provision of £14.2 million for local authorities’ flood prevention and coast protection programmes, £1.7 million is likely to be used to fund the construction of defences to address coastal erosion. The recent Spending Review led to a substantial increase in resources for the combined flood prevention and coast protection programme; this now stands at £14/£33/£42 million for years 2005-06 to 2007-08.

  The Scottish Executive has, to date, met all requests from local authorities for funding to support the construction of approved coast protection schemes.

Council Tax

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ask all local authorities to adopt the policy of Glasgow City Council of considering council tax relief favourably for all troops serving in Iraq.

Mr Tom McCabe: Glasgow City Council have confirmed that they have no policy in place in relation to the armed forces. Each application for a discount is judged on its merits, with reference to the relevant legislation.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methods and types of music have been chosen by local authorities as part of the roll-out of its youth music initiative.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Youth Music Initiative Reference Group, which is made up of representatives from the youth music field (both local authority and independent/informal sectors), the Scottish Arts Council, the Scottish Executive and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama research team, is responsible for steering this initiative.

  The Reference Group is aware that a broad range of methods and types of music have been chosen by local authorities. Examples include the partnership between Highland Council and Fèisean nan Gàidheal to integrate the Fèisean workshop style of work with traditional music into the core provision of the local authority and the engagement by several local authorities of the National Youth Choirs of Scotland to provide specialist instruction in vocal music in group work for young people.

  More detailed management information currently being collated on overall local authority provision, including details of methods of instruction and types of music, will be available by the end of April 2005.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what feedback it has had from local authorities on the roll-out of its youth music initiative.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: Local authority feedback is currently being sought following the completion of the first year of Youth Music Initiative (YMI) operation. This will be available by the end of April 2005. In addition, there are representatives of several strands of local authority activity on the YMI Reference Group, including ADES (Association of Directors of Education in Scotland), VOCAL (Voice of Chief Officers for Cultural, Community and Leisure Services), HITS (Heads of Instrumental and Teaching Services) and COSLA.

Disclosure Scotland

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most up-to-date figures are for the average time between a volunteer applying for a police check and receiving clearance, taking account of the time spent by the central registered body and Disclosure Scotland in dealing with the application.

Cathy Jamieson: It is not possible to provide a precise figure for end-to-end turnaround times.

  At week ending 28 November, Disclosure Scotland processed 100% of basic, standard and enhanced applications in an average of three days. The figure is for those applications that were correctly completed, had proper payment and which did not require referral to police forces. For that same week, the average time taken from the date the applicant signed the application form to its receipt at Disclosure Scotland was 29 days. That average includes registered body time. The sum of these figures gives an average handling time of 32 days from applicant signature to the issue of the certificate.

  Disclosure Scotland is reminding registered bodies of the need for them to process applications as quickly as possible as delays at that stage will affect end-to-end turnaround times.

Employment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeen City Council, Amicus, Jobcentre Plus or the liquidators or workers at Richards of Aberdeen following the announcement regarding Richards of Aberdeen.

Mr Jim Wallace: Through our economic development agency, in this instance, Scottish Enterprise Grampian, we have liaised with Aberdeen City Council and Jobcentre Plus with a view to providing assistance and guidance to the employees and the company following the job losses.

Environment

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will use the £50,000 for developing private property protection, as referred to in the statement by the Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 16 November 2004.

Ross Finnie: I announced on 16 November that "The Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research has been provided with £50,000 to promote a co-ordinated response to potential impacts and safeguard people and property through a Scottish partnership". The funding will be used to develop a Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership to provide a forum for stakeholders in Scotland to address climate change impact issues, including impacts on property, and to raise awareness amongst relevant communities.

Equine Industry

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that there are two differing sets of registration numbers pertaining to the same set of Scottish native ponies of the Eriskay breed.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is aware that registration numbers pertaining to the native Eriskay pony are issued by two organisations, the Eriskay Pony (Mother Society) – Comann Each nan Eilean, based in the Western Isles, and The Eriskay Pony Society, a daughter society which is based on the mainland. Both organisations have been approved to register these ponies under The Horses Zootechnical Standards Regulations 1992 and owners apply to the appropriate organisation.

European Funding

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a single application form for cross-border local authority European Leader Plus projects.

Allan Wilson: We have no plans to impose a single application form for joint projects. Local circumstances differ and joint projects can extend to other UK or EU groups. Scottish Executive officials have worked with local action groups on a common form for joint projects. Scottish groups may use or adapt this form as they see fit and at the same time retain the flexibility to accommodate other (non Scottish) groups’ requirements.

Gaelic

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to publish a second edition of Faclair na Pàrlamaid, the Gaelic Parliamentary Dictionary.

  The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  A’ dh’ fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba, dè tha e a’ dèanamh gus darna clò-bhualadh de dh’Fhaclair na Pàrlamaid, am faclair pàrlamaideach Gàidhlig, fhoillseachadh.

Peter Peacock: Faclair na Pàrlamaid has proven to be a popular and useful publication and copies of the first edition continue to be issued on demand. Faclair na Pàrlamaid is supplemented by an interactive online service which enables users to submit new words or terms for translation.

  Gaelic development funding is now the responsibility of Bòrd na Gàidhlig and I expect the Bòrd, in partnership with those responsible for the upkeep of the Faclair to determine when a second edition of Faclair na Pàrlamaid is required.

  The Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  Thathar air sealltainn gu bheil Faclair na Pàrlamaid na leabhar feumail is taitneach agus tha a’ chiad Chlo-bhualadh fhathast ga thoirt seachad a-reir iarraidh. Tha Faclair na Pàrlamaid air a leasachadh le seirbhis cho-obrachaidh air an eadar-lìn a bhios a’ toirt cothrom do luchd-cleachdaidh faclan no abairtean ùra a chur a-steach airson eadar-theangachadh.

  Tha uallach airson maoineachadh leasachaidh Ghàidhlig le Bòrd na Gàidhlig a-nis agus tha mi an duil gum bi Am Bòrd, an comunn le na aig a bheil uallach airson an Fhaclair a ghleidheadh, a’ tighinn gu co-dhunadh ma tha feum ann airson darna chlo-bhualadh de dh’Fhaclair na Pàrlamaid.

Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill, for example by publishing an English to Gaelic dictionary, initiating a Gaelic translation course or offering "golden hellos" to Gaelic teachers.

  The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  A’ dh’ fhaighneachd de Riaghaltas na h-Alba, dè na ceumannan pragtaigeach a tha e a’ gabhail, mar eisimpleir, le bhith foillseachadh faclair Beurla gu Gàidhlig, cùrsa eadar-theangachaidh Gàidhlig a thòiseachadh; no a bhith a’ tairgse fàiltean òra do thidsearan Gàidhlig, gus taic a thoirt do dh’ obrachadh Bile na Gàidhlig (Alba).

Peter Peacock: The Executive is committed to supporting key areas of development as implementation of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill is taken forward. Bòrd na Gàidhlig now has responsibility for the distribution and prioritisation of Gaelic language development funding. This funding supports a range of groups and activities and allows Bòrd na Gàidhlig to direct funding towards priority initiatives which may include Gaelic dictionaries and translation courses . Bòrd na Gàidhlig development funding amounts to £1.959 million in 2004-05 and this will rise to £2.35 million in 2005-06. An additional £1.4 million funding has been allocated to Bòrd na Gàidhlig in 2006-07 to assist with the implementation of the bill.

  The bill will require the development of a national Gaelic language plan by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, and the development of individual language plans by appropriate public authorities. As ministers’ principal advisers on Gaelic language matters Bòrd na Gàidhlig will have a key role in determining which priority areas of Gaelic development should be taken forward.

  The Executive also provides specific grant for Gaelic-medium education. This supports priority projects identified at a local level by 21 local authorities and currently amounts to £3.114 million in 2004-05. Local authorities with Gaelic education are developing a Gaelic teacher recruitment strategy. The Executive will consider suggestions and respond in due course.

   The Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:

  Tha an Riaghaltas a' gealltainn taic a thoirt do prìomh roinnean leasachaidh mar a bhios buileachadh Bile na Gàidhlig (Alba) air a thoirt air adhart. ’S ann air Bòrd na Gàidhlig a tha uallach a-nis airson maoineachadh leasachadh na Gàidhlig a chur an òrdugh tàbhachd agus a riarachadh. Tha am maoineachadh seo a' toirt taic do dhiofar bhuidhnean agus ghnìomhan agus a' leigeil do Bhòrd na Gàidhlig maoineachadh a stiùireadh a dh'ionnsaigh prìomh iomairtean, a dh'fhaodadh a bhith a' gabhail a-staigh faclairean agus cùrsaichean eadar-theangachaidh Gàidhlig. Tha maoineachadh leasachaidh Bòrd na Gàidhlig a' tighinn gu £1.96m ann an 2004-05 agus thèid seo suas gu £2.35m ann an 2005-06. Tha maoineachadh £1.4m a bharrachd air a thoirt do Bhòrd na Gàidhlig ann an 2006-07 gus cuideachadh leis a' Bhile a thoirt gu buil.

  Iarraidh am Bile leasachadh plana-cànain Gàidhlig nàiseanta le Bòrd na Gàidhlig, agus leasachadh planaichean-cànain fa leth le ùghdarrasan poblach iomchaidh. Mar phrìomh luchd-comhairleachaidh nan Ministearan air cùisean na Gàidhlig, bidh àite cudromach aig Bòrd na Gàidhlig ann an co-dhùnadh dè na roinnean de leasachadh Gàidhlig a bu chòir a bhith a' faighinn àite air thoiseach. Tha an Riaghaltas a' toirt seachad tabhartas sònraichte cuideachd airson foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Tha seo a' toirt taic do phròiseactan a tha air an comharrachadh aig ìre ionadail le 21 ùghdarrasan ionadail agus a' tighinn gu £3.114m ann an 2004-05. Tha ùghdarrasan ionadail aig a bheil foghlam Gàidhlig a' leasachadh ro-innleachd fastaidh thidsearan Gàidhlig. Bidh an Riaghaltas a' beachdachadh air molaidhean agus a' toirt freagairt tro thìde.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff each NHS board employs primarily to tackle MRSA.

Mr Andy Kerr: Many staff have infection control as a component part of their job plan. There are no staff employed by NHS boards whose primary task is to deal with MRSA. Infection control nurses are employed to improve prevention and control all healthcare associated infections including MRSA.

  The numbers of Infection Control Nurses are detailed in the following table:

  As at 21 May 2004

  

NHS Board
ICNs (WTE)


NHS Argyll and Clyde
14.0


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
5.0


NHS Borders
3.0


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
3.0


NHS Fife
5.8


NHS Forth Valley
4.0


NHS Grampian
8.2


NHS Greater Glasgow
20.2


NHS Highland
6.4


NHS Lanarkshire
10.4


NHS Lothian
17.1


NHS Orkney
1.0


NHS Shetland
1.0


NHS Tayside
11.6


NHS Western Isles
1.2


Special NHS Boards
6.6

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) women and (b) juveniles received a custodial sentence in each year since 1999, broken down by court.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following tables.

  Number of Custodial Sentences Imposed on Females By Scottish Courts, 1999-2002

  

Court
1999
2000
2001
20021


High Court
38
36
49
36


Sheriff Courts: 
 
 
 
 


Aberdeen 
40
61
46
86


Airdrie 
12
14
23
23


Alloa 
5
5
24
24


Arbroath 
12
6
8
8


Ayr 
31
67
88
82


Banff 
3
3
6
3


Campbeltown 
-
-
-
1


Cupar 
2
1
10
1


Dingwall 
4
2
3
6


Dornoch 
-
1
-
1


Dumbarton 
21
13
20
10


Dumfries 
12
16
40
38


Dundee 
47
36
37
43


Dunfermline 
9
8
10
20


Dunoon 
6
6
6
-


Duns 
-
1
3
3


Edinburgh 
60
71
91
130


Elgin 
4
5
2
30


Falkirk 
43
21
22
55


Forfar 
-
1
4
11


Fort William 
4
17
2
-


Glasgow 
79
88
73
80


Greenock 
74
43
44
30


Haddington 
-
1
1
10


Hamilton 
23
13
33
36


Inverness 
19
31
14
15


Jedburgh 
3
-
12
12


Kilmarnock 
89
71
140
92


Kirkcaldy 
12
28
27
17


Kirkcudbright
10
1
3
-


Kirkwall 
-
2
1
-


Lanark 
3
2
1
-


Lerwick 
-
-
3
3


Linlithgow 
7
16
25
8


Oban 
2
3
4
1


Paisley 
64
34
40
26


Peebles 
-
-
-
1


Perth 
8
12
7
19


Peterhead 
8
9
1
8


Selkirk 
3
5
12
14


Stirling 
21
28
33
27


Stonehaven 
3
1
2
3


Stornoway 
2
-
-
2


Stranraer 
21
24
44
18


Tain 
-
1
3
10


Wick 
2
1
1
2


Sub-total
768
769
970
1,009



  District and Stipendiary Magistrate Courts:

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002


Aberdeen City 
14
6
2
4


Angus 
-
-
1
1


Clackmannanshire 
-
-
-
2


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
3
-


Dundee City 
3
4
1
6


East Ayrshire 
-
-
1
3


Edinburgh, City of 
1
1
1
3


Fife 
13
11
3
1


Glasgow City 
183
77
95
78


Highland 
-
9
1
1


North Ayrshire 
1
-
-
-


North Lanarkshire 
-
6
4
1


Renfrewshire 
2
-
-
1


Scottish Borders 
-
1
-
-


South Ayrshire 
7
-
16
3


West Dunbartonshire
3
2
-
-


Sub-total
227
117
128
104


All courts
1,033
922
1,1473
1,149



  Number of Custodial Sentences Imposed on Juveniles2 by Scottish Courts, 1999-2002

  

Court
1999
2000
2001
20021


High Court
155
159
134
110


Sheriff Courts: 
 


Aberdeen 
299
313
236
172


Airdrie 
100
80
79
79


Alloa 
29
35
37
30


Arbroath 
54
39
78
46


Ayr 
137
207
164
143


Banff 
21
7
34
9


Campbeltown 
3
-
7
-


Cupar 
19
25
34
18


Dingwall 
12
12
5
2


Dornoch 
2
7
2
2


Dumbarton 
142
122
125
51


Dumfries 
49
53
87
92


Dundee 
265
310
306
246


Dunfermline 
75
95
121
59


Dunoon 
4
4
-
6


Duns 
1
5
6
7


Edinburgh 
374
373
407
397


Elgin 
33
44
58
71


Falkirk 
92
97
81
128


Forfar 
17
12
36
38


Fort William 
4
22
10
10


Glasgow 
671
644
508
549


Greenock 
206
149
134
107


Haddington 
20
25
21
23


Hamilton 
124
147
146
150


Inverness 
68
69
47
30


Jedburgh 
18
32
41
26


Kilmarnock 
367
296
332
212


Kirkcaldy 
251
160
147
78


Kirkcudbright
12
19
20
15


Kirkwall 
3
1
3
1


Lanark 
31
34
27
21


Lerwick 
12
9
10
-


Linlithgow 
119
72
52
116


Lochmaddy 
-
3
1
-


Oban 
7
7
11
13


Paisley 
210
193
236
201


Peebles 
21
5
-
1


Perth 
33
47
81
67


Peterhead 
36
38
15
27


Rothesay 
-
2
2
13


Selkirk 
6
6
26
37


Stirling 
38
40
38
47


Stonehaven 
5
7
7
3


Stornoway 
11
5
4
6


Stranraer 
49
53
83
37


Tain 
4
16
20
40


Wick 
6
2
9
1


Sub-total
4,060
3,9474
3,934
3,427



  District and Stipendiary Magistrate Courts:

  

 
1999
2000
2001
2002


Aberdeen City 
15
4
2
1


Aberdeenshire 
3
4
-
3


Angus 
1
3
4
2


Clackmannanshire 
-
-
-
1


Dumfries and Galloway
2
-
-
-


Dundee City 
20
38
15
27


East Ayrshire 
8
2
6
3


East Dunbartonshire
1
-
-
1


East Renfrewshire 
-
-
1
-


Edinburgh, City of 
1
2
4
8


Eilean Siar 
-
5
-
-


Fife 
10
4
7
-


Glasgow City 
212
139
102
75


Highland 
9
15
1
2


Inverclyde 
1
7
2
1


Moray 
-
-
3
1


North Ayrshire 
-
1
2
1


North Lanarkshire 
3
3
5
2


Perth and Kinross 
3
5
7
2


Renfrewshire 
-
-
2
4


South Ayrshire 
9
3
20
10


South Lanarkshire 
1
3
-
3


West Dunbartonshire
2
1
8
-


West Lothian 
-
-
1
2


Sub-total
301
239
192
149


All courts
4,516
4,345
4,260
3,686



  Notes:

  1. Figures may be underestimates due to time taken to record details of some court proceedings in SCRO system.

  2. Persons aged under 21.

  3. Includes one case where court is unknown.

  4. Includes four cases where sheriff court is unknown.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much in outstanding fines was due to each Sheriffdom at 31 October 2004.

Cathy Jamieson: The amount in outstanding financial penalties as at 30 September 2004 due to each Sheriffdom is shown in the following table. These are the most up to date figures held. The amount shown for financial penalties includes fines, compensation orders and confiscation orders imposed by the High Court and the Sheriff Courts in Scotland and penalties transferred from other jurisdictions in the UK. Not all of the outstanding balance is due to default in payment with, as the table shows, over half relating to accounts within their valid payment period.

  Outstanding Financial Penalties by Sheriffdom as at 30 September 2004

  

Sheriffdom
Outstanding Financial Penalties
Arrears
Arrears As % Of
Outstanding Financial Penalties


Grampian, Highland and Islands
£2,199,683.06
£698,033.67
32%


Tayside, Central and Fife
£2,775,787.83
£1,060,352.36
38%


Lothian and Borders
£3,476,805.31*
£2,075,308.35
60%*


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
£1,951,285.30 
£1,000,648.20
51%


North Strathclyde
£1,779,651.37
£844,790.66
47%


South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
£2,022,084.45
£886,202.34
44%


Total
£14,205,297.32
£6,565,335.58
46%



  Note: *Please note that the amount of outstanding financial penalties for Lothian and Borders Sheriffdom includes one outstanding confiscation order for £1 million which is currently under appeal. If you remove this amount from the figure for arrears as a percentage of outstanding financial penalties, the amount of arrears as a percentage of outstanding penalties in Lothian and Borders Sheriffdom falls from 60% to 42%.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences of (a) rape and attempted rape, (b) indecent assault and (c) lewd and indecent behaviour have been committed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The requested information is given in the following tables.

  Crimes of Rape and Attempted Rape Recorded by The Police by Council Area, 1999 to 2003.

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
758
705
753
913
988


Aberdeen City
62
36
39
36
43


Aberdeenshire
29
29
20
37
34


Angus
25
14
14
36
29


Argyll and Bute
8
9
10
16
27


Clackmannanshire
0
6
8
4
5


Dumfries and Galloway
42
21
18
23
30


Dundee City
44
39
44
35
46


East Ayrshire
19
10
24
18
21


East Dunbartonshire
8
3
1
5
8


East Lothian
8
12
16
17
19


East Renfrewshire
4
7
6
6
6


Edinburgh, City of
78
98
98
126
94


Eilean Siar
1
0
5
3
17


Falkirk
7
7
19
24
29


Fife
46
62
59
86
85


Glasgow City
113
117
148
137
134


Highland
39
21
19
25
42


Inverclyde
16
16
12
19
3


Midlothian
16
20
13
17
14


Moray
9
16
6
10
22


North Ayrshire
23
16
15
16
24


North Lanarkshire
30
23
27
44
41


Orkney Islands
0
0
1
1
2


Perth and Kinross
11
21
8
17
15


Renfrewshire
31
20
17
21
15


Scottish Borders
17
7
16
13
25


Shetland Islands
3
4
1
6
3


South Ayrshire
15
14
10
8
18


South Lanarkshire
18
25
30
37
46


Stirling
4
7
15
25
25


West Dunbartonshire
13
12
13
14
23


West Lothian
19
13
21
31
43



  Crimes of Indecent Assault Recorded by The Police by Council Area, 1999 to 2003.

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
1,175
1,117
1,154
1,337
1,418


Aberdeen City
74
64
91
72
84


Aberdeenshire
39
38
39
71
39


Angus
27
30
22
22
21


Argyll and Bute
20
13
10
22
29


Clackmannanshire
4
5
6
12
6


Dumfries and Galloway
39
17
15
6
29


Dundee City
53
49
44
41
53


East Ayrshire
22
34
34
24
16


East Dunbartonshire
11
9
7
12
7


East Lothian
18
34
18
40
26


East Renfrewshire
2
12
4
9
9


Edinburgh, City of
193
159
146
186
171


Eilean Siar
2
5
4
0
3


Falkirk
19
17
37
20
49


Fife
44
52
98
100
154


Glasgow City
226
208
212
211
245


Highland
34
27
37
33
70


Inverclyde
17
17
15
26
9


Midlothian
38
27
15
26
27


Moray
12
22
16
29
18


North Ayrshire
24
21
22
20
23


North Lanarkshire
45
63
66
89
71


Orkney Islands
2
3
1
4
3


Perth and Kinross
25
22
21
23
32


Renfrewshire
32
25
30
36
38


Scottish Borders
15
15
18
38
30


Shetland Islands
8
6
3
7
2


South Ayrshire
17
11
20
14
21


South Lanarkshire
47
49
34
55
71


Stirling
10
23
20
36
23


West Dunbartonshire
12
16
17
10
12


West Lothian
44
24
32
43
27



  Crimes Of Lewd and Indecent Behaviour Recorded by The Police by Council Area, 1999 To 2003.

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
2,383
2,346
2,365
2,718
2,535


Aberdeen City
122
110
109
108
105


Aberdeenshire
70
62
72
97
90


Angus
81
52
34
121
63


Argyll and Bute
37
23
33
62
39


Clackmannanshire
16
10
20
37
33


Dumfries and Galloway
54
93
78
48
64


Dundee City
132
94
101
113
119


East Ayrshire
38
66
71
52
45


East Dunbartonshire
20
31
25
30
17


East Lothian
30
31
31
41
70


East Renfrewshire
15
27
30
37
24


Edinburgh, City of
308
281
277
330
293


Eilean Siar
3
15
7
18
20


Falkirk
35
51
81
65
55


Fife
202
182
232
248
275


Glasgow City
391
354
345
312
283


Highland
55
75
115
112
99


Inverclyde
58
45
41
55
13


Midlothian
38
42
25
34
59


Moray
32
43
21
63
74


North Ayrshire
53
48
60
83
57


North Lanarkshire
107
165
121
142
120


Orkney Islands
6
4
1
2
7


Perth and Kinross
47
41
30
55
69


Renfrewshire
75
80
73
73
50


Scottish Borders
34
26
25
62
52


Shetland Islands
7
8
5
0
11


South Ayrshire
59
42
41
63
35


South Lanarkshire
89
80
73
104
80


Stirling
14
35
52
33
30


West Dunbartonshire
50
48
57
34
81


West Lothian
105
82
79
84
103

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences of (a) housebreaking, (b) theft of a motor vehicle, (c) shoplifting, (d) fraud and (e) other theft have been committed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The requested information is shown in the following tables, with the exception of the number of frauds from 1999 to 2002, for which I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1081 answered on 22 July 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search. The information for 2003 is as follows:

  Offences of Housebreaking Recorded by The Police by Council Area, 1999 to 2003

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
53,826
48,712
44,868
43,808
36,746


Aberdeen City
4,436
5,127
3,882
4,071
3,036


Aberdeenshire
1,216
1,372
1,112
954
846


Angus
789
637
546
540
358


Argyll and Bute
607
517
484
439
432


Clackmannanshire
481
435
430
406
253


Dumfries and Galloway
1,221
1,128
755
1,070
759


Dundee City
2,375
2,009
2,231
2,470
1,268


East Ayrshire
1,628
1,672
1,503
1,257
1,054


East Dunbartonshire
732
856
697
702
496


East Lothian
456
334
354
441
357


East Renfrewshire
933
659
601
592
656


Edinburgh, City of
4,671
4,160
3,920
3,896
3,765


Eilean Siar
33
46
42
31
38


Falkirk
1,163
1,084
937
1,017
1,048


Fife
3,722
3,387
3,312
3,067
3,416


Glasgow City
10,215
9,276
8,468
8,076
6,472


Highland
729
732
574
711
710


Inverclyde
1,285
780
693
970
891


Midlothian
577
423
439
632
601


Moray
513
568
514
384
299


North Ayrshire
1,481
1,410
1,599
1,387
1,108


North Lanarkshire
2,943
2,596
2,812
2,172
1,738


Orkney Islands
17
15
23
23
18


Perth and Kinross
909
665
760
705
593


Renfrewshire
2,434
2,204
2,183
1,831
1,556


Scottish Borders
460
375
309
313
303


Shetland Islands
43
82
67
27
20


South Ayrshire
821
893
840
738
803


South Lanarkshire
2,982
2,454
2,441
2,305
1,725


Stirling
794
654
466
468
514


West Dunbartonshire
1,428
1,076
864
1,011
844


West Lothian
1,732
1,086
1,010
1,102
769



  Offences of Theft of A Motor Vehicle Recorded by The Police by Council Area, 1999 to 2003

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
29,818
26,238
23,208
22,495
17,843


Aberdeen City
1,329
1,163
1,061
1,204
915


Aberdeenshire
370
394
308
351
280


Angus
252
264
286
238
193


Argyll and Bute
196
177
143
177
143


Clackmannanshire
128
107
111
98
89


Dumfries and Galloway
249
213
251
399
321


Dundee City
1,143
1,370
1,354
1,089
644


East Ayrshire
594
694
594
855
563


East Dunbartonshire
592
453
395
309
258


East Lothian
269
202
172
247
231


East Renfrewshire
444
278
216
226
169


Edinburgh, City of
3,146
3,266
2,845
2,708
2,717


Eilean Siar
16
30
52
42
63


Falkirk
746
542
459
498
438


Fife
1,380
1,495
1,250
1,459
1,225


Glasgow City
6,527
5,013
4,356
4,180
3,261


Highland
524
443
505
390
389


Inverclyde
566
610
706
478
394


Midlothian
473
280
248
351
341


Moray
271
263
325
223
125


North Ayrshire
745
526
665
581
435


North Lanarkshire
2,844
2,720
2,325
1,741
1,350


Orkney Islands
18
24
23
22
11


Perth and Kinross
392
412
393
323
267


Renfrewshire
1,370
1,164
1,037
863
718


Scottish Borders
163
144
120
168
159


Shetland Islands
34
30
8
10
18


South Ayrshire
333
276
232
282
212


South Lanarkshire
2,457
1,910
1,444
1,594
953


Stirling
271
182
183
161
145


West Dunbartonshire
807
572
394
492
324


West Lothian
1,169
1,021
747
736
492



  Offences of Shoplifting Recorded by The Police by Council Area, 1999 to 2003

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
32,008
32,343
31,575
29,541
27,676


Aberdeen City
2,517
2,333
2,120
2,258
1,810


Aberdeenshire
435
557
452
416
480


Angus
335
341
358
342
275


Argyll and Bute
209
198
262
201
200


Clackmannanshire
180
184
187
196
139


Dumfries and Galloway
719
645
548
706
716


Dundee City
1,562
1,464
1,390
1,506
1,362


East Ayrshire
617
679
620
636
481


East Dunbartonshire
388
487
397
381
333


East Lothian
156
210
218
284
154


East Renfrewshire
190
144
164
156
193


Edinburgh, City of
4,110
4,052
3,877
3,329
3,116


Eilean Siar
16
26
21
36
24


Falkirk
789
827
851
809
809


Fife
1,917
1,796
1,773
1,813
2,050


Glasgow City
7,329
7,658
7,194
6,564
5,435


Highland
760
641
912
770
777


Inverclyde
608
523
647
580
476


Midlothian
200
268
290
249
302


Moray
263
319
273
199
247


North Ayrshire
682
748
807
830
873


North Lanarkshire
1,398
1,692
1,628
1,377
1,382


Orkney Islands
14
13
9
3
12


Perth and Kinross
638
642
650
664
679


Renfrewshire
953
936
1,132
880
1,041


Scottish Borders
346
289
364
270
317


Shetland Islands
15
14
17
3
11


South Ayrshire
823
800
882
583
631


South Lanarkshire
1,234
1,247
1,250
1,148
1,150


Stirling
704
643
449
463
423


West Dunbartonshire
1,064
1,135
1,034
1,010
890


West Lothian
837
832
799
879
888



  Offences of Fraud Recorded by the Police by Council Area, 2003

  

Council Area
2003


Scotland
15,100


Aberdeen City
897


Aberdeenshire
385


Angus
170


Argyll and Bute
160


Clackmannanshire
255


Dumfries and Galloway
491


Dundee City
402


East Ayrshire
157


East Dunbartonshire
91


East Lothian
117


East Renfrewshire
55


Edinburgh, City of
3,273


Eilean Siar
12


Falkirk
613


Fife
1,264


Glasgow City
1,895


Highland
667


Inverclyde
188


Midlothian
142


Moray
164


North Ayrshire
157


North Lanarkshire
553


Orkney Islands
41


Perth and Kinross
311


Renfrewshire
348


Scottish Borders
249


Shetland Islands
59


South Ayrshire
261


South Lanarkshire
611


Stirling
425


West Dunbartonshire
173


West Lothian
514



  Offences of Other Theft Recorded by the Police by Council Area, 1999 to 2003

  

Council Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
81,109
78,060
74,722
75,003
71,943


Aberdeen City
7,123
6,938
6,173
6,194
5,221


Aberdeenshire
2,353
2,258
2,083
1,882
2,174


Angus
1,435
1,160
1,322
1,384
1,228


Argyll and Bute
769
677
711
714
751


Clackmannanshire
439
537
412
490
588


Dumfries and Galloway
1,804
1,773
1,563
1,767
2,056


Dundee City
3,107
2,904
2,784
3,473
2,770


East Ayrshire
1,280
1,321
1,470
1,243
1,119


East Dunbartonshire
950
961
856
736
706


East Lothian
962
876
773
1,004
939


East Renfrewshire
718
804
672
651
665


Edinburgh, City of
13,472
12,906
12,222
12,195
12,777


Eilean Siar
116
89
136
172
121


Falkirk
1,678
1,612
1,519
1,563
1,569


Fife
5,493
4,910
5,036
5,597
6,026


Glasgow City
13,686
13,620
12,761
11,921
10,902


Highland
2,379
2,531
2,161
2,291
2,350


Inverclyde
1,082
810
870
779
907


Midlothian
953
942
872
977
1,141


Moray
1,173
1,060
1,144
825
813


North Ayrshire
1,634
1,596
1,705
1,634
1,392


North Lanarkshire
3,915
3,975
3,968
3,419
2,996


Orkney Islands
81
82
59
68
89


Perth and Kinross
1,729
1,495
1,610
1,901
1,721


Renfrewshire
2,585
2,595
2,578
2,407
2,244


Scottish Borders
918
785
790
972
913


Shetland Islands
111
88
85
103
122


South Ayrshire
1,148
1,212
1,374
1,234
1,067


South Lanarkshire
3,183
3,140
2,823
2,900
2,528


Stirling
1,092
939
824
953
1,050


West Dunbartonshire
1,518
1,278
1,252
1,219
1,054


West Lothian
2,223
2,186
2,114
2,335
1,944

Law

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which areas the Crown has immunity under Scots law.

Colin Boyd QC: In Scots law a statute does not bind the Crown unless it does so either expressly or by necessary implication.

Local Authorities

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to local authorities in respect of their relationship with community councils.

Tavish Scott: Guidance on the relationship between local authorities and community councils is contained in the former Scottish Office booklet "Local Authorities and Community Councils – Enhancing the Relationship". I am arranging for a copy of the booklet, which is also available at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w3/lacc-00.htm, to be sent to you.

Local Authorities

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation pertains to the operation of community councils and their relationship with local authorities.

Tavish Scott: The legislation governing the establishment and general purpose of community councils is contained at sections 51-55 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (as amended) and section 22 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients in the Lomond division of NHS Argyll and Clyde used (a) community mental health services, (b) in-patient services at the Christie Ward of the Vale of Leven Hospital and (c) in-patient services elsewhere, in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Lomond and Argyll Division of NHS Argyll and Clyde spans the geographical area comprising Argyll and Bute, the Argyll and Clyde NHS Board section of West Dunbartonshire and a small part of Stirling. The following table shows the number of people from these combined areas that were admitted to psychiatric inpatient services.

  Information on the use of community mental health services is not held centrally.

  Patientsº from a Defined Part of NHS Argyll and Clyde (as Above) Admitted to Mental Illness Specialties¹, by Hospital

  

Location
Calendar Year of Admission


1999
2000
2001
2002
2003*


NHS Argyll and Clyde
 


Christie Ward, Vale of Leven Hospital²
156
166
186
153
148


Other wards, Vale²
51
47
37
30
8


Argyll and Bute Hospital, Lochgilphead
481
445
454
457
432


Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock
3
2
2
3
4


Dykebar Hospital, Paisley
3
3
2
-
1


Ravenscraig Hospital, Greenock
-
-
-
-
1


Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley
-
-
-
-
2


Larkfield Unit, IRH
-
-
1
2
-


NHS Greater Glasgow³
 


Gartnavel Royal Hospital
16
7
12
5
-


Leverndale Hospital
13
5
4
-
-


Woodilee Hospital
2
-
-
-
-


Royal Hospital for Sick Children
1
1
-
-
1


Parkhead Hospital
-
2
1
-
-


Stobhill Hospital
-
1
-
1
-


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 


Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock
1
-
-
-
2


Ailsa Hospital, Ayr
1
-
-
-
3


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 


Ladyfield Hospital, Dumfries
2
1
-
-
-


NHS Fife
 


Stratheden Hospital, Cupar
-
2
-
2
-


Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline 
-
-
-
1
-


NHS Forth Valley³
 


Falkirk Royal Infirmary
1
-
-
-
-


Stirling Mental Health Unit
1
1
-
-
-


NHS Grampian³
 


Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen
-
-
1
-
-


NHS Highland
 


Craig Dunain Hospital, Inverness
2
-
-
-
-


New Craigs, Inverness
-
-
2
1
1


NHS Tayside
 


Murray Royal Hospital, Perth
1
-
1
-
1


Sunnyside Royal Hospital, Montrose
1
-
-
-
-


Blairgowrie Community Hospital
-
-
-
-
1


Carseview Centre, Dundee
-
-
-
1
-



  *Provisional.

  Source: ISD Scotland SMR04 linked data set.

  Notes:

  ºPatients who have more than one admission to a specific hospital in a year are counted once in that year. Patients admitted to more than one hospital are counted once under each hospital they are admitted to. Patients with admissions in more than one year are counted once under each year of admission.

  1. Defined as admissions to mental illness specialties (general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and psychiatry of old age). Admissions to learning disability specialties are excluded.

  2. The Christie Ward admits patients to general psychiatry at the Vale of Leven Hospital. Other psychiatry admissions to the Vale of Leven Hospital are to other wards.

  3. Information on inpatient admissions to psychiatric specialties in hospitals in Scotland are incomplete for the following areas: Forth Valley, Lanarkshire and Lothian for years 2001 to 2003; Greater Glasgow and Grampian for the years 2002 to 2003.

Mental Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each NHS board area have been prescribed Prozac in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the population in each area and showing the year-on-year percentage change.

Mr Andy Kerr: Prescription data collected centrally do not relate to the number of patients receiving treatment but to the numbers and cost of prescribed items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.

  These data cannot be used as a proxy for the number of patients receiving treatment with any particular drug.

Mental Health

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under (a) 5, (b) 12 and (c) 16 have been prescribed an antidepressant in each NHS board area in each of the last five years, expressed also as a percentage of the total population within each age group and showing the year-on-year percentage change.

Mr Andy Kerr: Prescription data collected centrally do not relate to the number of patients receiving treatment but to the numbers and cost of prescribed items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors.

  These data cannot be used as a proxy for the number of patients receiving treatment with any particular drug.

Police

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of community police in the Strathclyde area and, in particular, in Glasgow, to combat the increasing number of crimes of violence carried out with the use of knives.

Cathy Jamieson: Between 2004-05 and 2007-08, grant aided expenditure for Strathclyde Police is planned to increase by around 15.5%. The allocation of these resources between Glasgow and other parts of the Force area is a matter for the Chief Constable. However, we remain deeply concerned about the incidence of knife crime and its contribution to violent crime more generally. We are currently undertaking a review of legislation on knife crime and will bring forward proposals for consultation in due course.

Public Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants have been made to local authorities under the Integrated Transport Fund in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05 to date.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given in the Report by Scottish Ministers to Parliament - Grants Paid Under Section 70 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 for financial years 2002-03 (pages 2-6) and 2003-04 (pages 6-10), copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 28193 and 33166). The total section 70 grants made for 2002-03 and 2003-04 under the Integrated Transport Fund were £3,783,359 and £56,532,266 respectively. A similar report in respect of financial year 2004-05 will be published in June 2005.

  Grant is also made under section 62 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 from the Integrated Transport Fund to City of Edinburgh Council in respect of the development costs of the Council’s Integrated Transport Initiative. Amounts paid under this section for costs incurred in 2002-03 and 2003-04 were £513,564 and £1,857,790 respectively.

Rail Network

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests to reopen railway stations are under consideration and where such stations are located.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold comprehensive information on all station reopening proposals as these are often developed and promoted, in the first instance, by the relevant local authority or regional transport partnership. The following stations are however being considered for re-opening in the Scottish Executive’s Partnership Agreement in terms of projects referred to:

  

Project
Stations Under Consideration for Re-Opening


Airdrie - Bathgate
Plains, Caldercruix, Armadale, Blackridge


Stirling – Alloa – Kincardine
Alloa


Larkhall – Milngavie
Larkhall


Borders
Galashiels, Eskbank, Gorebridge, Newtongrange



  Additionally, the following new stations are being considered under committed projects:

  

Project
New Stations Under Consideration for Opening


Larkhall – Milngavie
Dawsholm (to be re-named Kelvindale), Chatelherault, Merryton


Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
Edinburgh Airport


Glasgow Airport Rail Link
Glasgow Airport


Borders
Tweedbank



  The Scottish Executive is also supporting the feasibility studies into the reopening of Laurencekirk station and into the Aberdeen Crossrail and Glasgow Crossrail proposals which will include the creation of new stations.

Rail Network

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many proposals for additional railway track are being considered and for which areas.

Nicol Stephen: The table sets out the new or re-opened lines being taken forward by the Scottish Executive under project commitments in the Scottish Executive’s Partnership Agreement:

  

Project Under Consideration
Area


Airdrie to Bathgate
New line linking services from West of Glasgow with Edinburgh


Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
New line linking the airport with the rest of the Scottish Network, including Fife, Stirling, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Newcastle


Glasgow Airport Rail Link
New line linking the airport with the rail network providing direct link to Glasgow City centre


Larkhall to Milngavie
Two new lines providing half-hourly Larkhall – Glasgow Central services running onto Hyndland and Milngavie


Scottish Borders Railway
Reinstating the line between Edinburgh and Central Borders


Stirling – Alloa – Kincardine
Re-opening the Stirling to Alloa line for passenger rail and through freight to Kincardine and Dunfermline via Longannet

Scottish Executive Contracts

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether information submitted to it, or the former Scottish Office, by a company for the purpose of its recognition under European legislation is deemed to be confidential and, if so, how such information can be challenged or examined if evidence subsequently emerges, or suspicions arise, that some elements of the information may be incorrect.

Mr Jim Wallace: The question as to whether any information submitted to the Scottish Executive is confidential or not depends on the circumstances under which it was supplied and the nature of the information.

  You will be aware that the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 comes into force on 1 January 2005. From that date we will, under the act, consider requests for information held by the Scottish Executive. Information will be disclosed unless the public interest in disclosure is outweighed by one or more of the exemptions detailed in the act. The exemptions include information where disclosure would prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person or where disclosure would constitute a breach of confidence.

Sport

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure the sustainability of professional football throughout Scotland.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: It is for the football authorities to ensure that professional football in Scotland has a sustainable future. The Enterprise and Culture Committee has commissioned one of its members to carry out an investigation into the finances of Scottish football and related matters and we look forward to considering the report when it is available.

Wheelchairs

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the provision of wheelchairs to people over 25 stone in weight.

Rhona Brankin: Assessment and decisions on wheelchair provision for individuals are matters for the five Scottish Mobility and Rehabilitation Services centres.

  A recent seminar held by the Scottish Seating and Wheelchair Group, which includes representatives from the five centres as well as wheelchair users, highlighted the need for further discussion within the Scottish Rehabilitation Technology Providers Forum (SCOTRET) of the issues surrounding provision of wheelchairs for people over 25 stone.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the ethnic mix of the Parliament’s staff has been in each year since 1999, broken down by staff grade and expressed also in percentage terms.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The SPCB introduced a new grading system for parliamentary staff in 2002. Information prior to this date in the detail requested is not available. Details of the ethnic origin of the Parliament’s staff in each year since 2002, broken down by staff grade and expressed also in percentage terms, are set out in the tables below. This data is sourced from information provided by staff as part of their original application and/or through an annual data confirmation exercise. We also collected monitoring data about the composition of the SPCB's workforce in the equal opportunities staff audit which we carried out in 2003. The report from this audit is published on the Parliament's website:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/equality/spcb-eo03-03.htm#an.

  2002 (as at 31 December)

  

Grade1
Total Staff in Post
Ethnic Group2


White
(%)
Asian3
(%)
Black4
(%)
Other5
(%)
Not Indicated (%)


8
5
5 
(100%)
-
-
-
-


7
13
11 (84.6%)
-
-
-
2 
(15.4%)


6
47
41 (87.2%)
-
-
1 (2.1%)
5 
(10.6%)


5
59
49 (83.1%)
-
-
-
10
(16.9%)


4
105
89 (84.8%)
-
-
1 (0.9%)
15 
(14.3%)


3
62
59 (95.2%)
-
-
-
3 
(4.8%)


2
113
103 (91.1%)
1
(0.9%)
-
1 (0.9%)
8
(7.1%)


1
64
54 (84.3%)
1 (1.6%)
-
1 (1.6%)
8 
(12.5%)


Total
468
411 (87.8%)
2 (0.4%)
-
4 (0.9%)
51 
(10.9%)



  2003 (as at 31 December)

  

Grade1
Total Staff in Post
Ethnic Group2


White
(%)
Asian3
(%)
Black4
(%)
Other5
(%)
Not Indicated (%)


8
5
5 
(100%)
-
-
-
-


7
12
12 (100%)
-
-
-
-


6
50
44 
(88%)
-
-
1 
(2%)
5 
(10%)


5
61
53 (86.9%)
-
-
-
8 
(13.1%)


4
98
83 (84.7%)
-
-
1 
(1%)
14 
(14.3%)


3
67
62 (92.5%)
1 (1.5%)
-
-
4 
(6%)


2
108
100 (92.6%)
-
-
-
8 
(7.4%)


1
57
47 (82.4%)
1 (1.8%)
-
1 (1.8%)
8 
(14%)


Total
458
406 (88.6%)
2 (0.4%)
-
3 (0.7%)
47 
(10.2%)



  2004 (as at 31 August)

  

Grade1
Total Staff in Post
Ethnic Group2


White
(%)
Asian3
(%)
Black4
(%)
Other5
(%)
Not Indicated (%)


8
4
4 
(100%)
-
-
-
-


7
13
10 (76.9%)
-
-
-
3 
(23.1%)


6
47
42 (89.4%)
-
-
1 (2.1%)
4 
(8.5%)


5
72
61 (84.7%)
-
-
-
11 
(15.4%)


4
114
101 (88.6%)
-
-
1 (0.9%)
12 
(10.5%)


3
71
65 (91.5%)
-
-
-
6
(8.5%)


2
154
137 (89%)
1 (0.6%)
-
1 (0.6%)
15 
(9.7%)


1
21
17
(81%)
-
-
-
4 
(19%)


Total
496
437 (88.1%)
1 (0.2%)
-
3 (0.6%)
55
(11.1%)



  Notes:

  1. Secondees have been included at the equivalent Scottish Parliament grade. Staff on temporary promotion are shown at the grade they occupied at the points in time shown. Where a grade equates to a single post, information has not been included for data protection reasons.

  2. As defined in the Census (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2000

  3. Refers to Asian Indian, Asian Pakistani, Asian Bangladeshi, Asian Chinese or other Asian background.

  4. Refers to Black Caribbean, Black African or other black background

  5. Where a candidate has indicated either an unspecified ethnic origin or unspecified mixed origin.

Parliamentary Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the ethnic mix of applicants for vacancies in the Parliament has been in each year since 1999, broken down by grade and expressed also in percentage terms.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The SPCB introduced a new grading system for parliamentary staff in 2002. Information prior to this date in the detail requested is not available. Details of the ethnic origin of applicants to vacancies in the Parliament in each year since 2002, broken down by grade and expressed also in percentage terms, are set out in the tables below. This data is sourced from information provided by applicants as part of their application. We also collected monitoring data about the composition of the SPCB's workforce in the equal opportunities staff audit which we carried out in 2003. The report from this audit is published on the Parliament's website www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/equality/spcb-eo03-03.htm#an .

  2002 (1 January to 31 December)

  

Grade
Total Applications
Ethnic Group1


White
(%)
Asian2
(%)
Black3
(%)
Other4
(%)
Not Indicated (%)


8
-
-
-
-
-
-


7
-
-
-
-
-
-


6
98
96 
(98%)
1 
(1%)
1 
(1%)
-
-


5
82
77 
(93.9%)
1 
(1.2%)
-
1 
(1.2%)
3 
(3.7%)


4
916
883 
(96.4%)
9 
(1%)
3 
(0.3%)
9 
(1%)
12 
(1.3%)


3
148
137 
(92.5%)
2 
(1.4%)
1 
(0.7%)
2 
(1.4%)
6 
(4%)


2
1,318
1,263 
(95.8%)
16 
(1.2%)
1 
(0.1%)
13 
(1%)
25 
(1.9%)


1
80
76 
(95%)
2 
(2.5%)
-
-
2 
(2.5%)


Total
2,642
2,532 
(95.8%)
31 
(1.2%)
6 
(0.2%)
25 
(0.9%)
48 
(1.8%)



  2003 (1 January to 31 December)

  

Grade
Total Applications
Ethnic Group1


White
(%)
Asian2
(%)
Black3
(%)
Other4
(%)
Not Indicated 
(%)


8
46
45
(97.8%)
-
-
1 
(2.2%)
-


7
87
86
(98.8%)
-
-
1 
(1.2%)
-


6
54
50
(92.6%)
2 
(3.7%)
-
-
2
(3.7%)


5
245
239
(97.6%)
-
1
(0.4%)
2 
(0.8%)
3
(1.2%)


4
239
233
(97.5%)
1 
(0.4%)
1
(0.4%)
2 
(0.8%)
2
(0.8%)


3
6
5
(83.3%)
-
-
-
1
(16.7%)


2
789
753
(95.4%)
15 
(1.9%)
3
(0.4%)
6 
(0.8%)
12
(1.5%)


1
209
199
(95.2%)
3 
(1.4%)
3
(1.4%)
2
(1%)
2
(1%)


Total
1,675
1610
(96.1%)
21
(1.3)
8
(0.5%)
14 
(0.8%)
22
(1.3%)



  2004 (1 January to 31 August)

  

Grade
Total Applications
Ethnic Group1


White
(%)
Asian2
(%)
Black3
(%)
Other4
(%)
Not Indicated (%)


8
26
26 
(100%)
-
-
-
-


7
52
52 
(100%)
-
-
-
-


6
-
-
-
-
-
-


5
208
200 
(96.2%)
3 
(1.4%)
-
2 
(1%)
3 
(1.4%)


4
367
345 
(94%)
3 
(0.8%)
1 
(0.3%)
3
(0.8%)
15 
(4.1%)


3
66
62 
(94%)
-
1 
(1.5%)
3 
(4.5%)
-


2
241
223 
(92.5)
10 
(4.1%)
-
3 
(1.2%)
5 
(2.1%)


1
39
36 
(92.3%)
-
1 
(2.6%)
-
2 
(5.1%)


Total
999
944 
(94.5%)
16 
(1.6%)
3 
(0.3%)
11
(1.1%)
25 
(2.5%)



  Notes:

  1. As defined in the Census (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2000.

  2. Refers to Asian Indian, Asian Pakistani, Asian Bangladeshi, Asian Chinese or other Asian background.

  3. Refers to Black Caribbean, Black African or other black background.

  4. Where a candidate has indicated either an unspecified ethnic origin or unspecified mixed origin.

Parliamentary Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many people with a registered disability it has employed in each year since 1999, broken down by grade and expressed also as a percentage of total staff numbers.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : The SPCB introduced a new grading system for parliamentary staff in 2002. Information prior to this date in the detail requested is not available. "Registered disability" is no longer a recognised definition; instead we ask individuals to indicate whether they consider that they have a disability under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Details of staff employed who have indicated a disability under this definition, in each year since 2002, broken down by grade and expressed also in percentage terms, are set out in the tables below. This data is sourced from information provided by staff as part of their original application and/or through an annual data confirmation exercise. We also collected monitoring data about the composition of the SPCB's workforce in the equal opportunities staff audit which we carried out in 2003. The report from this audit is published on the Parliament's website:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/equality/spcb-eo03-03.htm#an.

  2002 (as at 31 December)

  

Grade
Total Staff in Post
No Disability Indicated
(%)
Disability Indicated
(%)


8
5
5
(100%)
-


7
13
13
(100%)
-


6
47
46
(97.9%)
1
(2.1%)


5
59
58
(98.3%)
1
(1.7%)


4
105
104
(99%)
1
(1%)


3
62
61
(98.4%)
1
(1.6%)


2
113
110
(97.3%)
3
(2.7%)


1
64
61
(95.3%)
3
(4.7%)


Total
468
458
(97.9%)
10
(2.1%)



  2003 (as at 31 December)

  

Grade
Total Staff in Post
No Disability Indicated
(%)
Disability Indicated
(%)


8
5
5 
(100%)
-


7
12
12
(100%)
-


6
50
49 
(98%)
1 
(2%)


5
61
60 
(98.4%)
1 
(1.6%)


4
98
97 
(99%)
1 
(1%)


3
67
66 
(98.5%)
1 
(1.5%)


2
108
105 
(97.2%)
3 
(2.8%)


1
57
54 
(94.7%)
3 
(5.3%)


Total
458
448 
(97.8%)
10 
(2.2%)



  2004 (as at 31 August)

  

Grade
Total Staff in Post
No Disability Indicated
(%)
Disability Indicated
(%)


Chief Executive
1
1
(100%)
-


8
4
4
(100%)
-


7
13
13
(100%)
-


6
47
46
(97.9%)
1
(2.1%)


5
72
71
(98.6%)
1
(1.4%)


4
114
112
(98.2%)
2
(1.8%)


3
71
70
(98.6%)
1
(1.4%)


2
154
150
(97.4%)
4
(2.6%)


1
21
18
(85.7%)
3
(14.3%)


Total
496
484
(97.6%)
12
(2.4%)



  Note: Secondees have been included at the equivalent Scottish Parliament grade. Staff on temporary promotion are shown at the grade they occupied at the points in time shown. Where a grade equates to a single post, information has not been included for data protection reasons.

Parliamentary Staff

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many people with a registered disability have applied for vacancies in the Parliament in each year since 1999, broken down by grade and expressed also as a percentage of the total number of applicants.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The SPCB introduced a new grading system for parliamentary staff in 2002. Information prior to this date in the detail requested is not available. "Registered disability" is no longer a recognised definition; instead we ask applicants to indicate whether they consider that they have a disability under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Details of applicants to vacancies in the Parliament who have indicated a disability under this definition, in each year since 2002, broken down by grade and expressed also in percentage terms, are set out in the tables below. This data is sourced from information provided by applicants as part of their application. We also collected monitoring data about the composition of the SPCB's workforce in the equal opportunities staff audit which we carried out in 2003. The report from this audit is published on the Parliament's website:

  www.scottish.parliament.uk/corporate/equality/spcb-eo03-03.htm#an.

  2002 (1 January to 31 December)

  

Grade
Total Applications
No Disability Indicated
(%)
Disability Indicated
(%)


8
-
-
-


7
-
-
-


6
98
98 
(100%)
-


5
82
80 
(97.6%)
2 
(1.2%)


4
916
907 
(99%)
9
(1%)


3
148
146 
(98.6%)
2
(1.4%)


2
1,318
1,294 
(98.2%)
24 
(1.8%)


1
80
76 
(95%)
4
(5%)


Total
2,642
2,601 
(98.4%)
41
(1.6%)



  2003 (1 January to 31 December)

  

Grade
Total Applications
No Disability Indicated
(%)
Disability Indicated
(%)


8
46
46 
(100%)
-


7
87
87 
(100%)
-


6
54
54
(100%)
-


5
245
240 
(98%)
5 
(2%)


4
239
237 
(99.2%)
2 
(0.8%)


3
6
6 
(100%)
-


2
789
778 
(98.6%)
11
(1.4%)


1
209
205 
(98.1%)
4
(1.9%)


Total
1675
1653 
(98.7%)
22
(1.3%)



  2004 (1 January to 31 August)

  

Grade
Total Applications
No Disability Indicated
(%)
Disability Indicated
(%)


8
26
26 
(100%)
-


7
52
52
(100%)
-


6
-
-
-


5
208
205 
(98.6%)
3 
(1.4%)


4
367
356 
(97%)
11 
(3%)


3
66
64 
(96.9%)
2 
(3.1%)


2
241
234
(97.1%)
7
(2.9%)


1
39
39 
(100%)
-


Total
999
976 
(97.7%)
23
(2.3%)